THE MYSTERIOUS GOLDIE MATTHEWS
by H.G. Stewart
Summary: Daisy loves Enos, but she doesn't LOVE Enos. 'Least, that's what she says anyway.
1. Chapter 1

In the first part of our story we see the General Lee, the beloved car of cousins Bo and Luke Duke, speeding down a winding dirt road, splashing through the occasional puddle.

_Ya know, Hazzard County is a beautiful place. The mountains are majestic, the lakes are enormous, and the air is crisp and clean. Yet if you had x-ray vision, you just might catch site of that ugly omen that is permanantley affixed over the landscape. A black omen that persistently caused trouble. And that trouble almost always found the Dukes._

"Bo will you step on it, please?" Daisy commanded her younger cousin as he took her on a wild country ride in the orange stock car.

"I would, Daisy, but even the General has his limits. I got him goin' as fast as I can."

"I ain't never seen you this excited to get to work." Luke commented from the passenger's seat where Daisy was sandwiched between them.

"I'm not excited to get to work, I'm late!" Daisy emphasized.

"What's the big deal? Most of the time their ain't nobody there when you open up anyway." Luke pointed out.

"'Cept for Mondays. Enos shows up every Monday at opening time, 12 noon, to order a chicken salad sandwich. Now if I'm late getting there, Enos'll be late getting back from lunch. If he's late getting back to work, Boss is gonna ask Enos why he was late, and then it'll come out that I was late. And that could very well get me fired!"

"I thought Enos was down in Atlanta taking that police academy training course." Bo commented.

"Oh he was. He got back yesterday. Ya know…" She said, smiling. "….I've kinda missed him."

"Lookie here, Luke, Daisy done went and got sweet on Enos." Bo laughed.

"No I am _not _sweet on Enos. It's just nice to have him around. I can't tell you how refreshing it is to hear someone tell you how nice your hair looks or how pretty your eyes are rather than how tight your……"

"Uh Uh!" Luke stopped her, jerking a thumb in Bo's direction. "There are children present."

"Very funny, Luke." Bo replied with no humor at all as he roared into the parking lot of the Boar's Nest. Enos was just pulling in at the same time.

"Thanks a lot, fellas." Daisy said as Luke slid out of the window and assisted his cousin. He then slid back in.

"Welcome back, Enos!" He greeted from inside the car.

"Thank ya Luke." Enos replied.

"We'll pick you up at 7." Luke added, looking at Daisy, who simply nodded her head in return as the boys peeled out of the parking lot.

"Chicken salad, stranger?" Daisy asked as she unlocked the door.

"Only if you made it, Daisy. Yours is the best."

"Comin' right up." Daisy replied, as she went inside, throwing her purse under the counter. Enos had been joking with her, he knew that she was the only one at the Boar's Nest who made the chicken salad. That was one of the things that Daisy liked about Enos. To him, she was a person, while to every other male in Hazzard she was either a relative, a pair of legs, or simply known as 'Bo and Luke's cousin'.

As she got the chicken salad from the refridgerator and scooped a helping onto a slice of whole wheat bread, she thought about how she wished she could love Enos the way that he had loved her all these years. But the spark was just not there. No matter how hard she tried, she just didn't feel anything special for him.

She placed the other slice of wheat bread on top and added a bag of chips on the side, preparing to go out and have a long chat with Enos about his time in Atlanta. Once she got out to the counter, however, she discovered that Ray Newberry had come in. From what she overheard, the two of them were already midway into a conversation about Enos's police academy adventures.

"Hey Ray, can I get you anything?" Daisy asked, putting Enos's sandwich in front of him..

"Hey Daisy. Beer'll be fine." He replied, turning back to Enos. "So her name's Goldie Matthews, huh? That's kind of an unusual name."

"Oh, but Goldie fits her to a T, Ray. She's got beautiful blond hair and she's one of the prettiest things I ever did see. I tell you, as crazy as it sounds, I don't think I could have asked for a better partner while I was in the academy. She never missed a beat, not once."

Daisy gave Ray his beer and went into the kitchen, where she listed from the door, wondering who Enos's mystery girl was.

Ray laughed. "Enos, it's interesting to hear you talk about her. Almost sounds like you're in love."

"Well in a certain way I guess I am." Enos replied, biting into his sandwich.

Daisy put her hand over her mouth to hide the gasp. She couldn't believe it. Enos in love?

"Say, when am I gonna get to meet her?" Ray asked.

"Eventually. Right now she's laid up over at my place. She hurt her ankle before we left the academy and I insisted on bringing her home with me, so's I could nurse her back to health. Besides, If worse comes to worse, I have more faith in Doc Applebee then any of them fancy doctors in Atlanta."

Daisy turned from the door and processed the information. Enos had brought home his seemingly beautiful partner from the police academy, a partner he wanted to nurse to health and admitted that he loved.

_For somebody that's convinced herself that Enos is just a friend, she looks mighty jealous, don't she?_


	2. Chapter 2

"Well Enos, I gotta roll, just needed to wet my whistle." Ray announced. He got up and patted the deputy on the shoulder. "When Goldie's up on her feet again, bring her over to see Suzy. I bet they'd hit it off real good."

"I sure will Ray." Enos replied as Ray exited, leaving Daisy and Enos as the only occupants of the Boars nest.

"Knock it off, girl, it's not like he belongs to you." Daisy tried to convince herself. She then smiled and opened the door to go back out to Enos. "Almost forgot your milk." She said, handing him a tall glass of moo.

"Thank you Daisy." Enos replied, taking a sip. "I sure have missed your sandwiches."

"Is that all you've missed?" Daisy asked, leaning toward him in a suggestive way.

"Of course not." Enos replied, bringing on a feeling of happiness to Daisy.

"I missed my patrol car, too. You get used to your car and it's kinda hard to adjust to a new one, you know?"

"Oh, I guess so." Daisy replied with some disappointment. "So Enos, I hope you wasn't too lonely down there, I mean being away from all your friends and everything."

"Oh all us guys down there, we bonded pretty quick. And then, there was Goldie." Enos sighed and looked up smiling. "I guess you overheard me telling Ray about her, didn't you?"

"Oh, yeah." Daisy replied, trying her best to sound casual in her response.

"Daisy, we were inseparable. I don't know why she took to me so but the moment she laid eyes on me, she wanted to be around me all the time. I have to admit I felt the same way about her, too."

"Well, that's good, Enos." Daisy commented as she wiped down the counter. "So, she's staying over at your place?"

"Now Daisy, I don't want you going around telling that to just anybody. If word of that got back down to the academy in Atlanta, some of those guys might not be too understanding."

"Well what about the people around here, Enos? What do you think they would say?"

Enos looked up at her as he took his last bite of sandwich. "I really don't care what people around here think, Daisy."

Daisy looked shocked. "Well that don't sound like you, Enos."

Enos had picked up his milk and was drinking as she spoke. He downed the last of it and wiped his mouth with a napkin. "Well that was delicious, Daisy. Makes me glad to be home." He stood and took enough money from his wallet to pay for the food and to leave a small tip before heading for the door.

"What's the hurry, Enos?"

"Lunch hour's almost up, Daisy. I gotta get back on patrol."

"Well wait a minute." Daisy began, surprising even herself that she was trying to find a way to spend time with Enos. "Why don't you come over for supper tonight? Uncle Jesse's cookin' up his chicken gumbo."

"Well that sounds real nice but after leavin' Goldie at home by herself all day, it wouldn't be fair of me to run off on her tonight too."

"Well that's no problem, bring her along." Daisy suggested.

Enos grinned and almost laughed. "Well I would, but I just don't think Goldie is the type that would enjoy chicken gumbo. We'll do it some other time."

"But Enos…."

"Bye Daisy." With that, Enos walked out and got into his car.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Later that evening, Daisy returned home carrying a small bag.

"Hey there, Daisy."

"Evenin' Uncle Jesse." She replied, sniffing over the pot that Jesse was stirring. "That sure does smell good."

Jesse nodded. "Wonder where in tarnation them boys are? Didn't they come behind you after they dropped you at Cooter's to pick up your jeep?"

"Well I told them that I had to run to the store before coming home, and to go on without me. I thought they would have been here by now."

About that time, Bo and Luke rolled up in the General Lee. After a moment, they came into the house.

"Hey fellas, what happened to you?" Daisy asked.

"Enos's set up just outside of town. He chased us around for awhile, but we finally lost him."

"Yeah." Bo laughed. "In the Hazzard County car wash!"

"He wasn't hurt, was he?" Daisy asked with genuine concern.

Luke looked at her and grinned a bit. "We always stop and check on him when he ends up in the drink, you know that, Daisy."

"Well, maybe I should go out there and check on him, you never know." Daisy suggested.

"I wouldn't worry about that, I'm sure Cooter's pulled the car out and dropped him at home by now."

"But still, I should check on him. You remember last time that happened. He had that real bad scratch on his arm and it ended up getting all infected because he didn't go to the doctor."

"Daisy, if you end up going over there, Enos is liable to give you a ticket to send to us!" Bo argued.

"Boys." Jesse began. "Let yer cousin alone. If she's worried enough about Enos that she wants to go pay him a visit, then I can't think of no reason why she shouldn't."

"Thank you, Uncle Jesse." Daisy kissed her Uncle and headed out to the jeep.

"Well Howdy Daisy." Enos said later, opening the door to his house. "What brings you out here?"

"Hey Enos. Bo n Luke said you'd run off in the pond. Thought I would come out to check on you, make sure you're okay."

"Oh, I'm fine Daisy, just fine, not a scratch on me." Enos replied standing with the door against him.

"Now that's what you said last time, Enos, and you had a bad scratch on you. Better let me in so I can see for myself."

"Now now, Daisy." Enos began, still blocking the entry. "That's mighty nice of you but I can't let you in. You see, Goldie's in here and I'm afraid she got sick today. Right now the place ain't fit for anybody to come into."

"Well maybe I can help, Enos. I can make a mean chicken soup."

Enos almost laughed again. "I don't think chicken soup'll do Goldie any good. Now please go on. Like I said, the house is a mess and I ain't inviting nobody in."

"But…."

"Bye Daisy." Enos said, closing the door.

_Now that's the second time today that boy's gave Daisy the cold shoulder. If he of all people is treating her that way, Goldie must be some knockout._


	3. Chapter 3

Daisy finally backed away from the house and got back into her jeep. She searched the exterior, hoping she might get a glimpse of Goldie through one of the windows, but she didn't see anyone.

A little while later, she arrived home to find Bo and Luke outside with the hood to the General Lee open.

"Hey Daisy! We sure are glad you're back. Uncle Jesse wouldn't let us start on that gumbo without you." Bo announced.

"Sorry, Bo."

"So how was Enos, anyway? Still in one piece?" Luke asked.

"Let's talk about it over supper, I'm a little hungry myself." Daisy replied.

The cousins all filed into the kitchen where Jesse had already set the pot of Gumbo on the table.

"Ah, good, it's still warm." Jesse smiled, ladeling out the first bowl full.

"Really, you shouldn't have waited on me, Uncle Jesse. Gumbo's not as good unless it's nice and hot."

"Well we weren't going to wait much longer. I figured if you weren't back by now that meant that Enos had invited you in to eat at his place."

"Invited me in to eat? Uncle Jesse, he didn't even invite me in!"

Uncle Jesse looked puzzled. "Well that don't sound like Enos at all."

"Yeah. There's quite a few things that don't sound like Enos ever since that Goldie Matthews came to town."

"Goldie Matthews? Who's that?" Luke asked.

"Enos's partner from the police academy down in Atlanta. He brought her _home_ with him!"

Bo grinned. "Why Enos Strait, that sly little devil!"

"It ain't like that, Bo. She hurt her ankle before they left the academy and he brought her home to take care of her."

"Well a hurt ankle ain't exactly anything you'd have to lay around and be nursed back to health over, if you know what I mean." Bo laughed.

"No I don't know what you mean, Bo Duke! Enos is the sweetest man I ever met and for you to suggest such a thing, well,….well it just shows what kind of mind you have, that's what!"

Bo opened his mouth to speak again, but Jesse tapped him on the arm a couple of times and he knew that he was to keep quiet.

"Well Daisy." Jesse began. "I'm sure that Enos will take good care of Goldie. But if I were you I wouldn't go around mentioning the fact that she's there to everybody. He might not take too kindly to that."

"That's another thing, Jesse. Enos told me that he didn't care what people around here thought about her being there. Imagine, Enos not caring what people think about him having a woman in his house!"

"That is strange." Jesse admitted.

"What does she look like, anyway?" Luke asked.

"I don't know, I haven't seen her. I overheard Enos talk about her and he said that she had blond hair and she was very pretty."

"Wow! Sounds like it's high time some introductions were made." Bo laughed.

"I've tried, Bo. He won't let me anywhere near her." Daisy replied.

"Who was talking about you?" Bo grinned slyly as Daisy rolled her eyes.

"I'd like to meet her myself." Uncle Jesse mused. "I'd be interesting to see who Enos Strait has taken such an interest in."

"Well, there's one sure way you can see her Daisy." Luke announced.

"How's that, Luke?" Daisy asked as Luke rubbed his chin in thought.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"What's taking him so long?" Daisy asked the next morning as she sat in the General along with her cousins.

"Just calm, down, Daisy. It ain't quite time for him to be gone yet." Luke replied as they remained hidden behind some underbrush near Enos's house.

"Here he comes now." Bo announced.

"I'll be back to check on you at lunchtime, Goldie." Enos yelled back into the house as he closed the front door and locked it. He then got into his patrol car and headed toward town.

"Let's go." Luke announced as the three cousins got out of the General and ran toward the house. "Go ahead, Daisy." He said when they reached the front door.

Daisy knocked loudly on the door. She looked to Luke for encouragement as Bo stood there arranging his hair just so and practicing his smile.

"Maybe it's taking her a minute, you know, if she's got a busted ankle and all." Luke suggested when no one answered the door.

Daisy knocked again a moment later, only to be met with the same response.

"Well, guess she can't, or won't answer the door." Daisy mused.

"Maybe she's in the back and couldn't hear us." Luke suggested, motioning for his cousins to follow him.

The three went around the house, looking in all of the windows. A couple of lamps were on and a fire was dying down in the fireplace, giving the indication that someone was still there. However, the house seemed empty.

"She sure is good at hidin', ain't she?" Daisy asked..

"She's gotta be upstairs." Bo summarized.

"Nice observation, Sherlock." Luke said, receiving a smirk from Bo.

"Look like a television on in an upstairs room." Daisy announced, standing back from the house a bit and staring at an upstairs window.

Luke looked up at the window and remembered something he had seen moments earlier against Enos's backyard shed. He tapped Bo on the shoulder and pointed. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

Bo grinned. "I sure am!"

"What are you guys talkin' about?" Daisy asked as her cousins ran to the shed and picked up an extendable ladder. She opened her mouth in shock as they brought the ladder back up to the window and, as quietly as possible, extended it and placed it under the window.

"There you go, Daisy." Bo announced, motioning toward the ladder.

"Are you guys crazy? What kind of person would climb a ladder to spy on someone?"

Bo shrugged his shoulders. "Me n Luke here's been doin' it ever since the McCraken sisters got their first training bra."

Daisy gave Bo a sidelong glance. "I wanna see her but I'm not gonna climb a ladder to spy on someone."

"Well… I guess that leaves it up to me, doesn't it?" Bo replied, rapidly ascending the ladder.

Daisy smiled and shook her head as Bo neared the window. He was just placing his hand on the windowsill when it happened.

The safety locks on the ladder gave way! As Bo swang wildly by one hand, Luke pulled Daisy away from the ladder which folded back down and fell against Enos's downstairs window, breaking it.

_"Ya'll hang around now, ya hear?"_


	4. Chapter 4

Luke quickly pulled Daisy to some more underbrush at the edge of Enos's yard while Bo dropped just to the side of the ladder, landing perfectly on his feet. He then jumped over the banister onto the front porch and crouched to hide.

"She'll see Bo for sure if that brings her downstairs!" Daisy commented.

"And if that didn't, nothing will." Luke summarized.

Bo risked a peep in Enos's living room window and didn't see anyone approaching. He then looked to his cousins, who were observing the upstairs window. After a few seconds, Luke waived him over. He sprinted across the yard and crouched behind the underbrush.

"You alright?" Luke asked.

"For now, but I won't be for long if Jesse finds out I busted that window."

"'Fraid we're in the same boat with you there, cousin." Luke replied as Daisy nodded. "Why do I suddenly feel like I'm 16 again?"

"Probably because at our age we should know better than this." Daisy replied.

Luke nodded in agreement. "Best we find out a way to replace the window before Enos shows up."

"How are we gonna do that?" Daisy asked.

"Well for starters we'll have to go to the hardware store in town and buy a new pane."

"No, I mean how are we going to do it with her in there? I mean you can't exactly change a window pane without getting into the house."

"We'll just have to be quiet. If the sound of a broken window didn't even bring her downstairs I doubt if any noise we would make putting it back in would phase her much."

Daisy sighed. "I guess we don't have much of a choice."

After watching the house a few more moments and seeing no movement, Bo and Luke decided to replace the ladder and inspect the window. It had a chunk broken out and a big crack in it. While it wasn't that serious, it wouldn't go unnoticed forever.

They all ran back to the General Lee and quickly made their way to the hardware store in town. They were just getting out when they spotted Cooter working on Enos's car and decided to pay him a visit.

"Hey Cooter."

"What's happenin', Lukas Dukas?" Cooter replied.

"Well, we's wonderin' how long it was gonna take you to work on Enos's car here." Luke announced as Cooter was under the hood working with a wrench.

"Well that depends, do you want to know how long it's actually gonna take me to fix it or do you want to know how long it's gonna take according to the bill J.D. Hogg receives?" Cooter laughed.

"Well, we really don't care so long as you keep that car here for at least another, say, two hours." Luke replied.

"Uh oh. Sounds like the Duke boys are in trouble again." Cooter replied.

"Actually," Bo grinned "It's Daisy causin' the trouble this time around."

"Don't you pin anything on me, Bo Duke, you're the one who climbed the ladder to spy on that woman!"

Cooter stood and put an arm on Bo's shoulder. "Now Bo, Amy McCracken's been married two years. You gotta stop that stuff."

"Actually," Daisy began, rethinking the events as Luke and Cooter stood in the background laughing at Bo. "I guess it is sort of my fault. If I hadn't been so anxious to meet Goldie, we wouldn't be in this mess right now."

"Goldie? You mean Goldie Matthews? Enos's partner from the police academy?" Cooter asked.

"You mean you know about her?" Daisy asked in return.

"Well, not a lot. Enos talked about her a little as I drove him to his place last night. Said she was real cute and a great partner. He kept goin' on about how impressed he was with her performance at the academy considering that she's legally deaf."

"Deaf?" Daisy and Bo asked simultaneously.

"Yeah. He said she can hear some things with the help of a hearing aide but that most communication is done through signing."

"Well that explains why she didn't react to the broken glass." Luke summarized.

"Did you get to meet her, Cooter?" Daisy asked.

"Nah. I didn't have time for introductions. I had to get Enos's car here back to the shop so it could dry out."

"Well, listen ya'll. We're cuttin' way into that two hours we need to get that window replaced." Bo reminded them. "Cooter, you think you can keep the car here that long?"

"Well I don't know what the broken window is about, but yeah, I can keep the car here this long."

The cousins all smiled in relief.

"Course, it's not the car Enos is using today."

"What!" They all asked.

"Nope. This cars been here every since last night. Enos has been using Rosco's car."

"Oh no! That means Enos will be going home to check on Goldie in a little while and he'll catch us red-handed!" Daisy wailed.

"Now Daisy just calm down. All you gotta do is go over there and get Enos to go to lunch with you instead. Me'n Bo here will get the pane and fix the window."

"Are you sure?" Daisy asked.

"Can you think of a better plan?" Luke asked.

Daisy shook her head. "Just be careful, you hear?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxx

"Bo, hold 'er steady." Luke whispered inside Enos's house a little over an hour later as they worked to get the new glass into place.

"I'm tryin' Luke. It ain't exactly easy doin' this without making any noise." Bo whispered back. "Why are we bein' so quiet anyway? She didn't hear us when we broke the glass and she didn't hear when us we busted it out enough to unlock the window."

"She's legally deaf, Bo, meaning that she is still capable of hearing some things. I'm not going to take any chances. Just hold the glass in place and as soon as I get the sealant on, we can get the heck out of here."

"I'm all for that." Bo replied, holding the glass as Luke secured it into place.

"There. Perfect. Enos'll never suspect a thing." Luke said a few moments later when the job was done.

"Good. Looks like all the broken glass is up, so let's split!"

Luke paused, putting a hand on his cousin's arm. "What's that, Bo?" .

Bo squinted his eyes as he listened intently. "That sounds like….."

The both ran to the front window and looked out.

"Enos's car!" They exclaimed.

"Uh, hide Luke!" Bo exclaimed, looking for any hiding spot.

"No, let's just get out. Quick, follow me!"

Bo followed Luke as he rushed through the living room into the kitchen. They quickly passed through into the back room where the washing machine was kept, on their way to the back door.

Luke tugged on the door and was surprised when it remained in place. He then twisted the lock. The door still wouldn't budge. He moved the curtain out of the way thinking their might be a deadbolt. There was, but it could only be opened with a key on either side.

"Goldie, I'm home!" Enos shouted from the living room. The boys quickly jerked their heads around in his direction.

_Looks like the boys are stuck between a lock and a hard place._


	5. Chapter 5

The boys remained frozen. Luckily, the back door was not immediately visible from the front door so Enos hadn't seen them---yet. Luke looked around. There was a long tablecloth on the kitchen table. He motioned for Bo to hide underneath but stopped him almost as suddenly when he hear Enos ascend the stairs.

Once they heard a couple of doors open and close, Luke turned to Bo. "Now's our chance to get out of here.." He whispered. Bo followed him through the house on the way to the front door. All they had to do was get out of there quietly and they were home free.

They were stepping as lightly as possible but the old house gave them away. A couple of floorboards groaned loudly under their weight.

"Who's there?" Enos shouted from upstairs. Not being anywhere near the front door, the quickly looked for a place to hide. Spotting a closet door under the stairs, they quickly ducked inside as Enos came back downstairs.

The small crack between the door and the frame afforded them a view of the activities inside the house. Enos quickly ran to the front door and opened it, peering outside. With his hand poised over the gun in his holster, he then closed the door and rushed to check the kitchen. He then came back to the living room and looked around. He almost jumped out of his skin when he-and the boys- heard creaking on the stairs.

"Possum on a gumbush, Goldie! You near scared me to death!" Enos exclaimed. The boys saw him visibly relax. "Everything's alright, go on and get back in the bed." Enos then used some sign language. After, the boys heard the steps creak again as Goldie returned to her room.

Enos was still looking upstairs when the phone rang. He turned and picked it up before sitting on the edge of an end table. "Hello? Richard! I'm glad you called………..Yes I spoke with Commissioner Hogg this morning and everything's all set for us to have the Academy picnic right here in Hazzard Square this weekend………..No, it's not hard to convince Mr. Hogg to approve anything like that when he thinks there's an opportunity for money to be made………Say, are you going to tell me more about this big presentation you've got planned? ...I see... No I don't have a date yet, but I just thought about bringing Goldie with me…..Now you're just saying that because you're still trying to set me up with that sister of yours, aren't you? Okay, well listen, I've got to get back to work, my lunch hour's almost over…..Yeah. Call all they guys and let them know. Saturday evening at 7:00. See you this weekend." With that, Enos hung up. He then grabbed his hat and went back outside to his car. A few moments later, he was out of sight.

Luke opened the door and put a finger to his lips, motioning for Bo to remain quiet. The cousins then made their way to the front door as quickly as possible, twisting the lock back into place as they went outside.

"That was a close call, cousin." Bo muttered a few moments later as they were climbing back into the General Lee.

"You're telling me." Luke replied. "Wonder what happened with Daisy? She was supposed to keep him town."

"I don't know, but it's best we find out where she is." Bo then picked up the CB. "This here's lost sheep callin' Bo Peep."

"This here's Shepard callin' the Lost Sheep." Uncle Jesse said a few minutes later. "Uh, boys, Daisy's here at home holed up in the bathroom. Cooter brought her home a few minutes ago, said you'd left her in town to have lunch with Enos while you run off to do something. Must've been purty important for ya to chunk your chores all morning'."

The boys got the hint fairly quickly. "We'll be home in a few minutes, Shepard. Over and out."

The boys rode in silenceuntil they finally made it back to the farm. They climbed out of the General and walked inside. Uncle Jesse was sitting at the kitchen table with a big sack of freshly picked green beans, snapping them into a bowl.

"Hey Uncle Jesse. Sorry we were out so long." Bo said.

"Yeah. We'll get to the chores right away." Luke added.

Jesse peered at the boys over his reading glasses as he continued to break beans. "They can wait. Ya won't be much good to me if yer starving to death." He then nodded to a pot on the stove. Luke opened it up to find beef stew inside.

As the boys ladled out the stew, Jesse eyed his nephews.

"Well, are ya gonna tell me where you've been or do we play twenty questions?" Jesse asked.

"Actually….." Luke began, pausing for a moment as he thought of exactly what he wanted to say. "….we were….we were doing a good deed for a neighbor."

"Well that's nice." Jesse continued with an air of knowing about him. "What neighbor?"

"Um, over at the Frothy Camp." Bo replied.

"Hmmm. Well, a neighbor and the camp, that's two different things."

"Sorry, Jesse." Bo paused. "I meant to say it was a neighbor... that lives near the camp." Bo emphasized with a grin, convinced he had redeemed himself. Luke rolled his eyes in disbelief- the camp was a good 20 minutes away.

Jesse looked at his youngest nephew. "I think ya might have went around that racetrack at the Atlanta Motor Speedway a little too fast, cause somewhere along the way ya brain fell behind. Now you two are actin' awfully strange, so out with it."

"Well Uncle Jesse." Luke began, propping his elbows on the table and folding his hands. "We sort of had a little accident this morning involving someone else's property and me and Bo here, we just went to set things right."

"What kind of accident?"

"Well..." Luke began. He looked at Bo. "What kind of accident?"

Uncle Jesse finally scowled in frustration. "Things never are gonna change around here. What will it take for you boys just to lay the truth on the table up front for once? Daisy told me over an hour ago that you's fixin' Enos's busted window."

"She did?" Luke asked sheepishly.

"'Course she did. Now, you boys did the right thing and replaced the window, so I'm not sore about that, but to get information from you two on anything, well, it's about as easy as getting into J.D. Hogg's wallet."

"Sorry, Uncle Jesse." Bo replied.

"Well ya should be." He replied, holding a locke of his own hair in his hand. "My hair didn't turn white all by itself. It had a lot of help from you two."

"Hey everybody!"

The boys and Jesse had been concentrating on each other so much that they didn't notice that Daisy was standing there. They looked up and three mouths dropped open.

Daisy was standing there wearing a red dress that none of them recognized. The neckline plunged to just the top of her abdomen while the skirt, if it could be called that, barely covered more than her cut off shorts. The outfit was just a part of her look, which included a fancy looking up do, ruby red fingernails, and way too much makeup.

"Well fellas, what do you think?"

_Ya'll wanna play a game? It's called 'Describe Daisy in one word.' Cause folks, I can think of a whooooooole lotta answers._


	6. Chapter 6

"Do you think it's pretty?" Daisy asked, turning around so they could see her dress from every side.

"Umm……well…." Bo began, trying to think of something to say.

Daisy laughed. "I do believe I've left Bo there speechless!"

"That's understandable." Jesse smiled, trying for words of his own.

"Well Luke, you just gonna sit there with your mouth open or are you gonna say somethin'? I know I can always count on an honest answer from you."

"Well…." Luke began, suddenly brightening with an idea. "That's a mighty pretty color on you, Daisy. Red always did suit you.

Bo and Jesse gave 'yeah's' and nodded in agreement.

"Where'd you get that thing anyway?" Bo asked.

"They had it over at the thrift store. Marge said it had been there near two months. Still had the tags on it and everything. Can you believe it?"

"I can." Jesse muttered.

"What'd you say, Uncle Jesse?"

"Huh? Oh nothin', nothin'." He looked at his niece again. "I can see that dress makes you feel real good about yourself, Daisy. Why the boys 'n me, we don't have any objection to you wearin' it around the house as much as you'd like, do we boys?"

The boys talked over each other with all their 'No's and 'Of course nots'.

"Around the house?" Daisy asked in disbelief. "I didn't spend ten bucks on this thing to wear it around the house! I'm goin' over to show it to Enos. As soon as he sees me in it I know he's gonna forget about that Goldie Matthews once and for all."

Daisy began walking toward the door when Jesse moved with speed even he didn't know he had to stand in front of it.

"What you doin', Uncle Jesse?"

"Well, um, you sure you want to go out in that getup today? I mean, we had all that rain last night and you know how easy it is to get dirty in that jeep of yours when you go flyin' through those mud puddles."

"That's right Daisy!" Luke added. "It'd be a shame for you to get mud on that dress. I mean, look at the material. I'll bet it has to be dry cleaned."

The family heard a car pull up. Bo looked out the window to see who it was. "Looks like you're not gonna have to worry about goin' out, Daisy, 'cause here comes Enos now!"

"What!" Jesse exclaimed, looking out the window of the door. "Umm, Daisy, you remember your Aunt Lividia's shawl? The one in the trunk at the foot of my bed? I bet that'd go real pretty with your dress. Why don't you go try it out?" He said, giving Daisy a little shove toward his bedroom.

"No, Jesse, not right now. I want Enos to see me in my dress!"

"But…." Jesse began.

It was too late. Enos opened the door without knocking, as did all their friends who dropped by on occasion. "Hey everybody!"

"Hey Enos." They all replied as Jesse moved in front of Daisy. Daisy looked at him in annoyance.

"What brings you here, Enos?" Luke asked. "Mortgage ain't due for another two weeks."

"Oh it ain't nothin' like that." Enos smiled, holding his hat in his hand. "I come to ask you all about that big tent you had set up over the refreshments at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Frothy Camp."

"You mean the one that belongs to Lester Lewis?" Bo asked.

"Oh, it's Lester's? I was wonderin' where you got it. You see, the Georgia Police Academy is supposed to be having a picnic right here in Hazzard Square on Saturday and it's up to me to get everything set up for it."

"Oh, that's nice." Jesse said.

"Well I'm sure Lester would be glad to oblige you, that is, if he don't have one of his tractor auctions goin' on this weekend." Luke assured him.

"That's good." Enos nodded. "Wonder if he'd have two of them? We're expectin' quite a crowd and there's even goin' to be a presentation of some sort."

Bo shook his head. "I don't think he has but the one, Enos." He then snapped his fingers. "Billy Kay's got one, though, and it turns out he's gonna be up in Chattanooga this weekend. Want me to give him a call, see if he can lend it to us?"

"That would be fantastic, Bo! 'Course, be sure he knows it don't have anything to do with Mr. Hogg. Those two didn't get along so good, you know."

Daisy finally stepped around Uncle Jesse, who started to say something but didn't have time. "What about me, sugar? What can I do to help?"

"Possum on a gumbush, Daisy!" Enos exclaimed, looking Daisy up and down. "Where in the world did you get that dress?"

"Out of the thrift store." She said, tracing a finger up and down his arm. "I know it's an old ratty looking thing but I thought it might be fun to try on. What do you think about it Enos?"

"I think I'm gonna have to call Richard and tell him he'll have to find Telly another dress."

"Richard?" Daisy asked.

Enos looked at her. "Oh, you don't know Richard. He worked with me down at the academy. His wife Telly is an undercover cop and she's talkin' about hunting a dress where she could pose as a prostitute. When I saw that dress in Marge's thrift shop, I told Richard it'd be perfect for the assignment."

Daisy's eyes widened in shock.

"Say, I don't suppose you'd let her borrow it, would you? I mean, since you's more or less just tryin' it on."

Daisy did not speak but instead turned and ran to the bathroom where she slammed the door.

"Gosh. Did I say somethin' to make her mad?"

Uncle Jesse grinned and patted him on the back. "I think you said exactly what she needed to hear."

"Oh." Enos smiled, letting it slowly fade in confusion. "Well, I best be on my way. Tell Daisy I said goodbye."

"Sure will." Luke replied, closing the door after Enos made his exit.

"Um, I better go check on Daisy." Jesse announced. He then made his way to the bathroom where he knocked on the door.

"Daisy, can I come in?"

"Yes Uncle Jesse."

Jesse opened the door. Daisy was standing there, much to his relief, in a shirt and blue jeans, the dress discarded onto the floor. She was vigorously rubbing the makeup from her face.

"You alright?" Jesse asked.

"Oh Uncle Jesse, I don't know what I'm going to do to get Enos to notice me! First I try to act like myself and that doesn't work, then I try to get all dressed up for him and that doesn't work either!"

"Well Daisy, you know Enos. He's a nice young man, and nice young men, well, they get a little uncomfortable around girls who dress up too much."

"Uncle Jesse, he thought that dress looked like it would belong to a hooker!"

"I guess he did." Jesse nodded. "But you see, Enos grew up in Hazzard County, he's used to seeing girls in pretty sundresses and straw hats. To him, anything else is too overbearing."

Daisy sighed. "I guess you're right. Thanks, Uncle Jesse." She said, giving him a hug.

"You're very welcome." Jesse replied. 'Believe me' He whispered mostly to himself.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next morning Daisy drove along in her jeep, checking herself in the rearview mirror. She had put on her best sundress, an orange sleeveless number with daisy blossoms in small print. A band around her straw hat matched the material of her dress.

Satisfied with her appearance, she picked up the C.B. "This is Bo Peep calling Crazy Cooter. Cooter, you got your ears on?"

"On and open wide, glad I cleaned 'em out this mornin' cause otherwise I wouldn'tve heard that sweet voice callin' my name. What can I do for you, Miss Daisy Duke?"

"Well Cooter, I's wonderin' if Enos's car was at the police station."

"Car's there, Enos ain't"

"Oh, do you know where he is?"

"He's in the square right now. Walkin' around with a pretty blond lady, talkin' about something or other. They keep pointin' at stuff."

Daisy let out a gasp. "Is that Goldie Matthews he's got with him?"

"I ain't sure, but that'd be my guess."

"Thanks Cooter." Daisy replied, placing the C.B. back in place. "I've got to see this gal." She muttered to herself.

Daisy increased the speed on her jeep, Dixie. She splashed through several mud puddles, jumped a couple of creeks, and cut cross country several times before finally screeching to a halt at Cooter's. She jumped out of her jeep and started looking at Enos.

"Why Miss Daisy, you didn't have to get all dressed up for me!" Cooter joked.

Daisy waved him away. "How long have they been out there?"

"Bout a half-hour or so."

"Well what have they been doing?"

"Well I have had cars to work on, but from what I've seen, just a lot of talking and one hug."

"He hugged her?" Daisy asked, crestfallen. She continued to look at Enos who suddenly happened to look in her direction. He pointed and said something to his companion, then the couple began to walk toward them.

"Cooter, they're coming this way!"

"Yes, I can see that."

"Well DO something!" Daisy exclaimed as Enos drew closer.

Cooter was confused. "What would you have me do?"

"This!" Daisy exclaimed, rushing over to him. She then placed her arms around his neck and planted a long kiss on his lips.

_Ole' Cooter gets tips ever' now and then, but I betcha that's the first one he's got like that._


	7. Chapter 7

"Cooter, let go of her!" Enos demanded, putting his hand on the mechanics arm and pulling him away from Daisy.

Daisy beamed in excitement as she separated from Cooter. Enos was jealous! She had done it at last.

"But I didn't...ow!" Cooter began, receiving a discreet jab of his toe with one of Daisy's heels.

"Oh good, Daisy. You're dress is okay. I was afraid Cooter had ruined it with all that oil on the front of his shirt." Enos continued.

"Oh." Daisy replied in disappointment, looking at Enos' smiling face. An unusual expression flashed across it. She couldn't be sure, but she thought, hoped, that maybe it was a bit of jealousy.

"Well…um…..I didn't mean to interrupt anything." Enos began, motioning to the young woman who stood beside him. "I just wanted you to meet….."

"I already know who she is." Daisy cut in. Confidently, she held out her hand to the blond haired woman. "Daisy Duke, Ms. Matthews."

The woman took her hand and shook it. "Oh I'm so glad I got to meet you, Daisy. Enos has told me so much about you, I feel as if I practically know you!"

"He has?" Daisy asked in amazement.

"Why he just went on and on about you! When he first got to Atlanta it was always 'Daisy this' and 'Daisy that'. It was so bad we couldn't even get any work done. I finally threatened to pull a gun on him if he didn't shut up, didn't I Straitshot?" She teased, ruffling his hair a bit. Enos simply nodded in return.

"So, Enos tells me that you and your family are helping us get set up with some tents for the picnic. I think that calls for an invitation. What do you think, Enos?"

Enos grinned. "Oh yes, definitely. You can come, can't you Daisy?"

Daisy batted her eyelashes. "Gosh, I'd love too Enos, but I just wouldn't feel right being at the picnic without a date. You……….you don't know anybody who could maybe ask me, do you?"

Enos thought for a minute before he put his hands on Daisy's shoulders and gazed into her eyes. "Daisy, I don't know why I didn't think of it before. You must think I'm blind, or careless."

"No Enos." Daisy gave the deputy a hug and shot a look of triumph to his confused companion. "I could never think that."

"Good." Enos smiled. "'Cause I wouldn't want Bo n' Luke to think I was ungrateful to them for getting' me that tent from Billy Kay. Tell 'em to come along, they can be your date."

"ENOS!" Daisy began, holding her hands up as if she could strangle him. Instead, she marched back to her jeep, got in, and sped away.

Enos looked after the departing jeep in confusion. "Wonder what was the matter with her?"

"Never mind. We need to get back in the square and decide where everything's going to be set up."

"You're right." Enos replied. He then put up his hand to wave. "See ya later, Cooter!" He threw out before walking back to the square.

Cooter just stood there for a few minutes, looking back and forth from Enos to the direction in which Daisy had just departed.

"What happened here today?" He asked himself before shaking his head and going back into the garage.

XXXXXX

Soon Daisy was back at the farm. She pulled up in enough time to watch Jesse's truck trudge off in the opposite direction with a big box of eggs for the local market. She stormed in through the kitchen door, slamming it behind her.

"Uh, hey Daisy." Bo offered, being a little afraid of her at the moment.

"That Goldie Matthews, I could just rip her hair out!"

"Now Daisy." Luke replied, getting up to rub her shoulders. "Just calm down. There ain't no need to rip anyone's hair out. I take it that you finally saw her today."

"Oh I saw her all right. Out there in the middle of Hazzard Square with her hands all over Enos."

Luke shook his head. "Daisy, I just don't know what to tell you, 'cept have a talk with Enos, tell him how you really feel about him."

"I don't know, Luke." Daisy shook her head. "She was so pretty, and Enos seems to like her a lot. I'm not sure it's right to break that up."

"Well don't worry about her." Bo began. "If she's anything like you said, I'll be more than happy to be there for her in her time of need."

"Always the funnyman." Luke accused him.

"Who was trying to be funny?" Bo grinned.

That brought a small laugh from Daisy. "I don't want to think about it anymore right now, fellas. I think I'm going to take a long hot bath." With that, she headed off to her bedroom in search of some clothes to change in to afterward.

Luke turned to his cousin. "Bo, this has gone on long enough. Enos needs to know how Daisy feels about her. Now if she's not going to say anything, we need to."

"Are you kidding, Luke? Daisy'd kill us if she knew we's even thinking about going over there."

"Which is why she's never gonna find out." Luke replied, patting Bo's back a couple of times. They then dashed out the door and into the General Lee, on their way to talk to Enos.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Hey fella's. What brings you out here?" Enos asked a little while later, at home for his lunch break.

"Well Enos, we sorta wanted to talk to you about Daisy." Luke confirmed.

"Oh." Enos replied, chewing on a bite of the peanut butter sandwich in his hand. "I thought somethin' might be goin' on, the way she tore away from Cooter's today. Ya'll come on in. You can meet Goldie while you're here."

"That sounds good to me!" Bo confirmed.

The boys spent a few minutes there before coming back outside. They closed the door behind them and took a deep breath before busting out in laughter.

"Luke…." Bo began, hardly able to talk between fits of laughter.

"I know….I know what you're thinking." Luke said, doubled over himself.

"Should we tell her?" Bo asked.

The boys looked at each other "Naaaaaaaah!"

If I didn't know them boys any better I'd swear they's on somethin', wouldn't you?


	8. Chapter 8

By the time the boys arrived home again, Uncle Jesse had returned from selling the eggs. He looked quizzically at his nephews as they climbed out of the car.

"What's the matter with the two of you? You look like yer upset." Jesse pressed as each boy rubbed at his red eyes.

"No, Uncle Jesse, we're fine, really." Luke replied, trying to contain a chuckle.

"Yeah." Bo added with a small sniffle.

Uncle Jesse looked them over again. "Yer right. You don't look upset. You look like ya been into somethin'."

Just then, Mr. Lewis came driving up. He honked the horn of his pickup truck as he pulled up to the farmhouse. "Afternoon Jesse! Bo, Luke." He announced, stopping the truck and getting out. "Brought that tent for Enos's academy picnic."

"Well, that's mighty nice of you, Mr. Lewis, but we don't have anything to do with that picnic." Luke replied. "You should take it over to Hazzard Square, Enos should be back from lunch by now."

"I did take it over to the square, Luke. Enos wasn't there but I ran into Boss Hogg instead. He said I should bring it out to you."

"Why'd he do that?" Jesse asked.

Mr. Lewis shrugged his shoulders. "Said somethin' about the boys here servin' their community service time by puttin' it up for Enos."

Luke and Bo scoffed. "What community service time?" Bo asked.

"I'm not real sure. But Boss said if you's to ask that question, to tell you to call the police station and talk to him, that he'd think up somethin' by then."

"Well that sounds like J.D. all right!" Jesse fumed.

"I didn't have time to argue with him, Jesse. I gotta go up to an auction in Tennessee this weekend and I'm already runnin' behind."

"Let's get it off the truck, Bo." Luke resigned, going back to open up the tailgate as Daisy walked out of the house, her hair still wrapped in a towel. "Hey Daisy. Go get Enos on the phone, tell him his tent's over here!"

"'K Luke." Daisy replied, going back into the house.

Soon the boys had the tent unloaded and Mr. Lewis on his way. It was just as Jesse was going back to the barn to return his egg crates that Enos pulled up in the yard.

"Wow! Talk about fast timing!" Bo exclaimed.

"What?" Enos asked.

"Hey fellas, I couldn't get ahold of Enos….." Daisy began, letting her voice trail off. She then put her hand up to her mouth as she saw Enos. She turned and rushed back into the house, quickly jerking the towel off her head.

The boys chuckled a little before turning back to Enos. "So Enos, what brings you out here?" Luke asked.

"Well Luke, I thought about what you said back at the house. I've decided to go ahead and ask Daisy to the picnic with me." He replied, as he scratched his shoulder and gritted his teeth.

"Well that's great Enos but why the rush? I thought you had to go back to work."

"'Cause, Luke…." Enos began, scratching down the side of his arm. "……….the idea of askin' Daisy makes me nervous, and whenever I get nervous, I break out in hives, and if I don't hurry up I'm gonna end up with polka dots all over me before nightfall."

"Just relax, Enos. You remember what we told you. She won't turn you down." Bo assured him.

"I hope you're right Bo." Enos said as the screen door to the farmhouse slammed.

Enos did his best to stop scratching as Daisy came near him with fresh makeup that had been hurriedly applied against damp hair that was combed out as quickly. She smiled at the deputy who stood with a grin that would rival that of a young boy who had snuck off to his first peep show.

"Uh…he…hey Daisy." Enos said.

"Why hey yourself, Enos." Daisy flirted, tilting her head off to one side. "What brings you out here?"

"Well I…I…" Enos replied, losing eye contact with her. He then looked off to the side, on the ground. "Hey, is that the tent for the picnic?" He asked, going over to the tent. Luke grabbed him by the armpit and hauled him back in front of Daisy.

"Yeah that's the tent." Bo replied. "But didn't you come here to ask Daisy somethin'?"

"Yeah." Enos replied, taking a deep breath. "Uh, Daisy? I come to ask you….I come to ask…." Enos finished by taking another deep breath. "I come to ask……"

"Oh Enos!" Daisy replied. "Don't be shy, you can ask me anything!"

"Well, I was hoping you might come to the picnic with me." Enos finally said, speaking as quickly as possible.

"Enos!" Daisy replied, hugging him. The happy deputy hugged her in return. "I'd absolutely love to!"

"You would?" Enos asked.

"Of course I would!" Daisy exclaimed. "I'm so glad you're taking me, but a bit surprised. I figured you'd be taking Goldie instead."

"Oh I am taking Goldie, Daisy."

"What?" Daisy asked, stepping back from him.

"Of course. I couldn't go and not take Goldie. Don't worry, there's plenty of room in my patrol car for everybody."

"Enos!" Daisy fumed. "I'm sorry but I refuse to share my date with anyone!"

"Please don't get upset Daisy! I figured you wouldn't mind. Goldie don't!"

Daisy crossed her arms. "Well that's good for her but you can't have it both ways, Enos. Either Goldie goes, or I go!"

"Now hang on, Daisy…." Luke began.

"You stay out of this Luke Duke." Daisy interrupted.

"Daisy, I havta take Goldie with me, she's part of the force! But I really want you to go, and I know you want to go too because that's what Bo 'n Luke said when they came over to the house earlier."

Daisy opened her mouth and looked at both her cousins, who stood there looking like dogs who were caught chewing a favorite pair of boots. "So that's why you asked me Enos! Because my dear cousins talked you into it. What happened, did you owe them a favor or somethin'?"

"Now Daisy…." Bo began.

"Oh be quiet Bo! I'm disappointed in you and Luke, but most of all, I'm disappointed in you, Enos!"

"It ain't like that, Daisy, you don't understand…." Luke attempted.

"I don't want to hear anything! Just stay away from me, all three of you!" She yelled as she stormed back into the house and made her way to her room, leaving the three of them standing there with their discouraging looks.

_Well that went well, didn't it?_


	9. Chapter 9

Two days later, on Saturday afternoon, the boys were in Hazzard Square setting up the tent for Enos. As they sat on the ground, trying to sort out the poles that would have to be connected to one another, Uncle Jesse pulled up in his pickup truck.

"You boys seen Daisy yet?" Uncle Jesse asked, getting out and slamming the door.

"Just in passin'." Bo replied, nodding toward the boarding house that sat opposite Boss Hogg's house. "We were granted a slight wave on her way to the Boar's Nest this morning."

Uncle Jesse shook his head in frustration as he looked at the boarding house. It was where Daisy had been every since she had furiously left the house after telling Enos and her cousins off. "I tell ya, you boys can be stubborn as mules sometime, but when I look at one of ya and think I've seen the worst case of stubborn anybody could present, Daisy can go and top it."

"Hey, don't point fingers at us. We learned by example." Luke teased.

Uncle Jesse offered a slight smile of guilt. "You learn a little bit about the benefits of being stubborn once you've raised three teenagers by yourself."

Bo laughed and shook his head. "Ya see Luke? It still comes back to us!"

The laughter shared by the Duke men died down as Jesse looked at the boarding house again. "I can understand her being upset with you boys to an extent. After all, ya did embarrass her in front of the man she loves. But all I've tried to do is go and set her straight on what's goin' on, and she won't listen to me either. Went over there again this mornin' and I couldn't even git her to answer the door!"

"Ah I'm sorry, Uncle Jesse." Luke replied. "'Least we ought to see her soon. Since the academy hired out the Boar's Nest to cater some of the food she'll have to show up eventually."

"And when she does, she ain't goin' nowhere till she hears me out. Besides, we got better things to pay fer than a room at the boardin' house when she's got a perfectly good one back at the farm with the people who love her."

The boys simply nodded in agreement.

They continued to tinker with the tents that they had agreed to set up as a favor to Enos, relieving Boss of the responsibility of trumping up and excuse for community service work. As the afternoon wore on, policemen from all over the state began to appear, as well as their families, a band, decorations, and gaming booths to keep the children entertained.

Eventually, a van with the Boar's Nest logo on the side pulled into the square. Daisy got out along with Myra, another waitress who had helped her prepare the food. They went to the back of the van and began to open the doors as Bo and Luke walked up.

"Hey Daisy." Bo offered.

"Hey yourself." She replied.

"Well it's a start." Bo confirmed. "At least you're acknowledging me again."

"Don't feel flattered. Just help me get this food out then go about your business. We're half an hour late."

Bo frowned. "Well just tell me this miss high-and-mighty, what makes you think I would help you when you're actin' like this?"

"Because you're my cousin and you're supposed to help me."

"Just because I'm your cousin don't mean I'm gonna stand here and let you treat me this way!"

"Just do it, Bo." Daisy said, getting out some tablecloths as Myra began unloading the van and Luke stood there trying to get a word in between his cousins. "If Uncle Jesse were here, he'd make you help me."

Bo went closer to her and pointed a finger at her face. "If Uncle Jesse was here he'd tan your hide because he's about as fed up with you as I am!"

"And how fed up is that? Anywhere near as fed up as I am with my cousins poking their noses where they shouldn't? Besides, you'd be the one getting your hide tanned if Uncle Jesse was here, for arguin' instead of helping me."

"Well I reckon I ain't answering myself, am I? Seems you're fifty percent of that argument."

As Daisy opened her mouth to reply, she felt someone grab her upper arm. Bo felt the same thing as both of them were walked to the side of the van before being turned around to face their Uncle Jesse.

"Alright, you two. I don't know what triggered this but I want a stop put to it and I want a stop put to it now! Them policemen just started their presentation and ya got everybody focused on you instead. Now what's goin' on?"

Daisy and Bo pointed to each other saying "He/she started it!"

"Uncle Jesse, all I did was ask Bo to help me unload the van."

"No she didn't Uncle Jesse, she TOLD me to unload the van then she told me as soon as I was done to go on and mind my business, and all I did was say hello to her."

"That ain't the way it went Bo, you…."

"I SAID STOP IT!" Jesse yelled, startling Myra and Luke as well as a couple of bystanders. As the two quieted down, he turned to his nephews. "Bo, Luke, I want you two to help Myra here get things set up."

"What!" Bo exclaimed in disbelief. "But Uncle Jesse, she….."

"Just do it, Bo!" Jesse commanded as Daisy gave him an 'I told you so' look of satisfaction.

"Yes sir." Bo replied turning toward the tables, being ushered by Luke the whole while.

"Thank you, Uncle Jesse." Daisy said, steping toward the van herself.

"Now just hang on." Jesse stopped her. "Those three can handle that food. I think it's time you and me had a talk."

"But…."

"No buts. If ya didn't want me interruptin' your work, you should've answered the door when I come over this mornin'. I gotcha now and I ain't lettin' you go till we get things settled."

Daisy sighed. "Alright Uncle Jesse."

Jesse led her over to the courthouse steps and commanded her to sit down before he sat beside her.

"Now." Jesse began. "Why don't you tell me what's really goin' on with you. I know you ain't arguin' with Bo over some help with the caterin'. Why did you leave home?"

Daisy threw up her hands. "Well you know why Uncle Jesse, because they went over to Enos house and bribed him to ask me to this picnic today. I wanted him to ask me, but not because he was bribed into it!" She rolled her head back and looked toward the sky. "I've never been so embarrassed in my life!"

"Now Daisy. Everybody knows that Enos has been wantin' to court you for years. What makes you think the boys would hafta bribe him?"

"Well, I wouldn't….normally. But ever since that Goldie Matthews came to town, that's all he ever talks about. It's like he can't go nowhere and do nothin' without her! He even planned to bring her along on our date, after the boys finally bribed him into asking me!"

Jesse smiled. "Daisy, the boys met Goldie the other day, when they went to visit Enos. It's high time you knew something about her. It's something we've been tryin' to tell you for two days, but you never would answer our calls!"

"I don't want to know nothin' about her, Jesse." Daisy's lip trembled a bit. "Enos loves her, what else would possibly be important to me?"

"Daisy?" Jesse began, deciding another lesson needed to be taught before she heard what he intended to tell her. "Do you trust me?"

She looked at her uncle. "Of course, Uncle Jesse, I trust you more than anybody in the world."

"Then listen to what I am saying. You're not mad at Bo, and you're not mad at Luke. You're upset that you're losing the man you love. Now, if you trust me the way you say you do, then go tell Enos how you feel. Trust me. You won't regret it."

Daisy looked down. "Uncle Jesse, it's just that it's a whole lot simpler to feel angry than it is to feel vulnerable."

"That may be, if there was somebody for you to feel angry toward. But there's nobody. Nobody at all."

As Daisy looked toward the square where a mass of people were seated around the gazebo, listening to the speeches given, she spied Ms. Matthews off to the side, playing with a dog on the lawn. Rosco stood by keeping an eye on Flash, who simply lay and watched the younger dog who bounced around her in excitement.

"You're wrong, Uncle Jesse. There's one person I can feel a lot of anger toward."

With that, Daisy stood up and briskly started walking toward the square.

"Daisy, where ya goin'?" Jesse yelled after her.

Daisy kept walking without so much as a pause. This brought the attention of Bo and Luke, who began grinning nervous grins.

"Uh, Daisy?" Luke called out as they began to walk after her.

Daisy continued her rigid pace. A pace that carried her quickly toward the gazebo. A pace that directed her straight toward Ms. Matthews.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen comes the moment we've all been waiting for!" The presenter stated. "This year, the award for Georgia Lawmen of the Year goes to….Hazzard County's own Enos Strait!"

Before the applause sounded, everyone was startled to hear a yell to the side of the seating area.

Everyone turned and looked in shock to find Daisy Duke wrestling Ms. Matthews to the ground!

_Ya know, she don't hafta look a thing like Bo or Luke for ya to know they's related, does she?_


	10. Chapter 10

"Wha-"The young woman asked as Daisy attacked her. As they rolled on the ground- Daisy delivering wild punches that didn't always meet their mark and the young woman who was simply trying to block them- Rosco ran up and attempted to stop them.

"Alright! Freeeeeeeeeze!" He exclaimed. He wasn't sure he would feel comfortable reaching down to physically separate them, being that they were female, so instead he danced around them, hoping they would listen to his command. Normally he would fire his gun to get their attention, but being that the square was full of children, he wasn't willing to frighten any of them.

"I said freeze!" Rosco commanded again, leaning over toward the pair. When he did so, the ladies rolled toward him, knocking him down. As Daisy continued to throw punches, the fight brought them squarely on top of Rosco's feet. He lay there helpless to move as the woman's dog barked at the pair and Flash managed to lick her master's face.

Bo, Luke, Jesse, and Enos all arrived at the scene at the same time. "Stop this foolishness!" Uncle Jesse commanded toward Daisy, balling up his fists in anger. "Git her outta there!" He instructed the boys, throwing his pointed finger in a sweeping motion from Bo and Luke to Daisy."

"Uh, yes sir!" Bo replied, looking nervously at Luke. They had seen before what Daisy could do when she was mad, and wasn't very anxious to jump in the middle of one of her fights.

Still, Uncle Jesse's word was law. As Luke stooped to block Daisy's punches against the young woman whom he prepared to help to her feet, Bo went behind Daisy and, circling her arms with his own, hoisted her to her feet.

"Alright, calm down!" Uncle Jesse commanded as Daisy continued to struggle in Bo's arms. Those who sat near the gazebo looked in astonishment at the whole thing, surprised not only by the fight but by the fact that such fire could come from a kindly looking old man.

Hearing her Uncle, Daisy collapsed in Bo's arms. Her hair was a mess and she had a small cut on her lip, brought on from one of Ms. Matthew's rings as she tried to defend herself.

Ms. Matthews stood against Enos, for the most part okay. Her hair was also a mess and she had a bit of blood trickling from her nose.

Her dog stood there, looking from her to Daisy, growling. Ms. Matthews shook her head no at the dog and, whimpering, the dog went to rejoin Flash who jumped up on Rosco's legs as he finally returned to a standing position.

A tall, brown haired man with concerned brown eyes raced over from the far end of the seating area to look at Ms. Matthews. "Are you alright?" He asked.

"I'm fine, Robert…if I could just use your handkerchief." She replied, reaching out to him.

Robert dug into his back pocket and plucked out the handkerchief. Flapping it, he gently put it under Ms. Matthews nose as he took her in his arms.

"Young lady." Robert began. "I'd very much like to know why you found it necessary to attack my wife."

"Your….your WIFE?" Daisy exclaimed. 'Oh no'! Daisy thought. 'Enos has been having an affair with a married woman!'

"That's what I would like to know too, Daisy." Enos added, his hands on his hips, and a look of fury on his face that Daisy had never seen before. For the first time in her life, she was almost afraid of him!

He turned to Robert. "Robert, you go on and get Sylvia cleaned up. I'll find out what's going on here."

"Sylvia?" Daisy gasped as Enos turned to Uncle Jesse.

"I'm gonna take Daisy back to police headquarters and have a talk with her, if that's alright with you, Uncle Jesse."

"Oh, that's just fine with me!" Jesse nodded, hoping for an end to the events.

Enos turned back to the crowd. "Sorry for the delay, folks. This won't take long."

As the crowd began whispering back and forth, Enos grabbed on to Daisy's hand and began pulling her toward the jail. As she was forced to walk at a brisk pace, she looked at Enos' face, his jaw clinched in anger. It certainly was a side of him that was new to her, but despite the events that were to come, it was a side that she found extremely appealing!

Enos pulled her up the step and opened the door. Pulling her inside he then closed the door and continued to pull her toward Boss Hogg's office, which sat empty as the commissioner was out in the square peddling his half-meat hotdogs at the all-beef price.

"Daisy Duke…." He began, wiggling his finger in her face. "I don't think I've ever been more embarrassed in my life than I was just now!" He took a deep breath and crossed his arms while she stood, looking silently. "Most of the people out in the square now was either in the police academy with me down in Atlanta or are related to someone who was. And all I did while I was down there was brag on this sweet lil' ole' gal back home, Daisy Duke, that I loved. And what happens when they all end up here in Hazzard? They witness that sweet lil' ole' gal beatin' up on one of their own!"

"Oh, Enos! I'm sorry. I…."

Daisy stopped short as she thought of something that Enos had said. "Enos! You….you love me?" She smiled.

Enos' look of anger disappeared as his face slowly pinked with a hint of redness. "Well…yeah Daisy….I mean, well….well ding dang it, you ain't gonna make me say it again, are you?"

Daisy only paused a moment before she lept into the deputy's arms. "Oh Enos!" She exclaimed. "I love you too."

"You do?" Enos asked, shocked and slightly scared at the same time.

"Of course. I always have." She rubbed the back of his neck with her hand. "I guess it just took Goldie comin' to town to realize how much I do." She ended by planting a long kiss on his lips.

When it finally ended, Enos laughed. "If I had known Goldie would have made a difference, I would have brought her home a long time ago, although for the life of me I can't figure out why her being here helped any."

Enos then glanced at his watch. "Possum on a gumbush Daisy, we've been in here a good five minutes! Them folks out there are waitin' on me to deliver my acceptance speech!"

"Well wait a minute, Enos. We need to talk about Goldie. I mean, what are you going to tell her…..about us?"

"Oh don't worry about Goldie, Daisy. She's going to love you, I'm sure. We'll all be one big happy family!"

"Big happy family?" Daisy repeated as Enos shot out the door. "Enos! Wait! I'm not through talking to you!"

Daisy rushed to the door of the police station to see Enos racing across the square. Crossing her arms, she went down the stairs on her way to the podium.

'If he thinks he can have me and still have that Goldie around, he's got another thing comin'' she muttered to herself as she cut across the law, Enos having began his speech.

"Hey Daisy. Everything go alright in there?" Luke nervously asked when she stopped beside him.

"Almost." Daisy replied as she scanned the crowd. 'I wonder which one she is.' She thought as she checked out every female of age that was in attendance, missing most of Enos' speech.

"……………..an honor to be chosen Georgia Lawmen of the Year. My time in Atlanta is full of memories I won't soon forget, and you're all like family to me. But there is one I was very close to. One I bonded with instantly. One who is partly responsible for my being here today. And I think most of you know who she is. My police academy partner and, I'm proud to say, one of my dearest friends,Goldie Matthews!"

As everyone clapped and cheered, Enos looked toward the back of the crowd and motioned for Goldie to join him on stage. As she rushed down the center isle and took her place next to Enos, Daisy, seeing her for the first time, reacted in a way that most anyone would who found herself in that position.

She fainted!

_Now there ain't nothing' unusual there. There's so many blackouts in Hazzard County that Ole' Doc Appleby orders smellin' salts by the gallon._


	11. Chapter 11

Lucky for Daisy, Luke was right there to catch her as she fell over.

"Daisy!" Uncle Jesse exclaimed as he and Bo rushed over. "What's the matter? What's happened to her?"

"Relax, Uncle Jesse. She's just fainted." Luke replied, holding his hand up as several members of the audience also crowded around her.

"Uh, how 'bout everybody just back up and give her some air, huh?" Bo suggested as he put his hands up motioning everybody away.

Uncle Jesse frowned. "Where's Homer when ya need him?"

"Right here, Jesse." Doc Appleby replied, fighting his way through the crowd, holding up a small bottle of the smelling salts that he carried on his person.

He saw Luke's outstretched hand and took off the lid, handing it to him. Luke waved the small bottle under Daisy's nose only a few seconds before her lashes fluttered and she opened her eyes.

"There she is!" Uncle Jesse smiled, reaching down to help her into a sitting position. "How ya feelin'?"

"I'm okay, I think." Daisy replied, blushing as she looked at the crowd around her.

Jesse saw her embarrassment and turned to the crowd. "Don't worry folks. She's just fine, as you can see, so I thank ya for your concern. Ya'll can go back to your seats now."

As the onlookers began to shuffle away, the boys pulled Daisy to her feet and they all went over to the side to talk.

"Uh, Daisy. I take it from that little faintin' spell there that ya know who Goldie is, once and for all." Bo hoped.

Daisy nodded her head then heaved a deep sigh. "Fellas, I owe ya'll an apology. All three of ya. I look back on it now, and I realize that the lot of you have been trying to knock some sense into me for a few days now. I guess I was just a little too bull-headed, huh?"

"I'd say you was a LOT too bull-headed." Luke smiled.

"Well don't worry about that none. It seems ta run in the family." Jesse added, nodding toward Bo and Luke.

"I realize that Uncle Jesse." Daisy replied, looking at him. "I couldn't have lived with you all these years without somethin' rubbin' off."

The boys and Daisy stood laughing at the comment. Uncle Jesse wasn't amused at first, but after receiving some good natured jabs from his nephews, he couldn't hold a sour expression any longer and began laughing right along with them.

Moments later, Robert and Sylvia Matthews came walking out of Cooter's Garage, where she had gone to freshen up. Jesse looked at the couple then back at Daisy.

"The trouble with bein' bull-headed, though, is it makes ya act before ya think, and when you do that, there's always a follow-up."

"I know, Uncle Jesse." Daisy sighed. She then left her family behind and started walking toward Sylvia, reaching her just as Enos did.

"What do YOU want?" Sylvia asked, cowering in fear of another attack.

"Daisy, are you alright?" Enos asked.

"I'm fine, Enos." Daisy replied, turning to Sylvia. "I just wanted to come over and apologize to you. I shouldn't have attacked you like that…..and I'm sorry."

"Why did you do it anyway?" Sylvia asked.

"Well….." Daisy began, her face getting red again, not only from embarrassment of the situation but by the fact that Enos was standing there to hear it. "Ever since Enos here came home from Atlanta, he couldn't carry on a conversation with me- or anybody else for that matter- without it having something to do with Goldie. Everything was always about how pretty Goldie was, or what a great partner she was, or how he just loved her. He just went on and on about her all the time. Then, when I saw the two of you in Hazzard Square together…..I thought you were her."

Enos looked at Daisy in confusion. "Possum on a gumbush, Daisy! You mean to tell me I never explained to you who Goldie was?"

Daisy simply shook her head no.

"And you were jealous of me…I mean, whoever you thought Goldie was!" Sylvia exclaimed in realization.

Daisy didn't respond, but simply buried hid her red face against Enos' chest.

"Possum on a gumbush indeed." Enos replied, barely above a whisper. Smiling, he hugged Daisy tightly to him, an unfamiliar feeling growning from the pit of his stomach. It was the feeling of awe and realization that Daisy Duke loved him, and a sign that their relationship was soon to grow.

"Well Daisy, that was quite an attack you dished out. But considering the circumstances, I can't blame you. If I weren't married to the greatest man in the world..." She trailed off as she hugged Robert. "...I'd certainly be pursuing the second greatest." She ended by looking at Enos.

"You mean you forgive me?" Daisy asked.

"Of course." Sylvia smiled. "We could sure use a girl like you down at the police academy in Atlanta next year. There's a little too much testosterone flowing around there. You should talk her into it, Enos."

"Oh, we've done that already." Daisy shook her head, recalling her short stint working for Boss as a deputy.

"Daisy, I think it's high time a formal introduction was made, don't you?" Enos asked.

Daisy pulled away and nodded her head. Goldie, standing patiently at the side, came over when Enos signaled to her.

Daisy wiped a tear from her eye and sniffed a bit. "Hi Goldie, it's nice to meet you- at last."

"She can't hear, Daisy." Syliva announced. Just hold out your hand, she understands that just fine."

Daisy got down on one knee and held out her hand.

The Golden Retriever responded by placing her paw in Daisy's hand, her tail wagging madly.

**_And that's the story of how it took a temporarily crippled, deaf dog to make Daisy see her true feelings for Deputy Strait._**

_**And like all good things, Enos' time with Goldie had come to an end.**_

The next morning, Enos placed Goldie in a cage in the back of the Matthew's pickup truck.

"I'm sure gonna miss you, girl." Enos said, holding out his hand for Goldie to paw. With a slight wimper, she licked Enos face before he closed the door.

"Thanks for taking care of her while we's on our trip, Enos!" Robert said, shaking Enos hand.

"Bring her up to visit sometime!" Enos yelled back after the Matthews had got in the truck and began driving away. Robert stuck his arm out the window to wave an acknowledgement.

_**You animal lovers probably feel sorry for Enos. It don't take long to get a deep attachment to them critters.**_

(The next scene shows Enos and Daisy riding horses together. Daisy laughes as he falls off, uninjured, standing up quickly again to show he's okay.)

(The one after that shows them in a boat together. Enos reaches over to try to pick Daisy a water lily and ends up falling in. Daisy laughs as he bobs to the surface, grinning.)

(The final scene shows them sitting under a big oak tree, Enos' car parked nearby. They look into each others eyes before sharing a long kiss.)

_**But I wouldn't worry too much. From the look of things, it seems Miss Daisy is gonna keep him plenty occupied.**_

THE END

(A/N) Check out my profile page for news on future stories!


End file.
